If you’ve decided to outsource search engine optimization, choosing the right SEO services is critical. There are many SEO companies and freelance search engine optimization specialists out there and it can be really hard to tell if they have enough experience and dedication to get your website to the top of the search engine listings.

First of all, you should look for ethical search engine optimization specialists, who do not employ any methods that can get your site penalized by search engines. For those who are not very familiar with SEO techniques, search engine optimization can seem like a kind of magic. This makes them easily fall for false promises. Remember that there can be virtually no guarantees with natural search engine optimization, while many factors are beyond your control. A reputable attorney will never give you a 100% guarantee that you will win your case. A soccer player cannot be sure that his team will win. And a professional SEO specialist will never promise you that he will make your website number 1 on Google as even Google cannot give that kind of guarantee. Search engine algorithms may change, the level of competition may be higher than expected, and so on.

Since search engine optimization operates in cyberspace, there have been cases of SEO specialists taking the money and disappearing. To decrease the likelihood of such fraud, always make sure an SEO professional or company has a physical address posted on their website. Most search engine optimization specialists will ask for a portion of the payment up front, but there’s no reason to give the entire amount to a stranger.

Another typical fraud is the use of so-called ‘black hat seo’ to make your website’s ranking skyrocket in a matter of weeks. You’re impressed by the quick results and give the money away only to find out that your website has been banned from search engine listings a few months later.
Some unethical search engine optimization specialists may also optimize your website for poorly chosen keywords. It’s easy to get to the top of search engine listings with keywords that no one is searching for, and therefore no one will want to compete. However, don’t insist on searching for extremely competitive terms either, as it is next to impossible and the time and money invested may never pay off.

Another trick is to buy pay-per-click (PPC) ads instead of running organic search engine optimization targeting unpaid search results. PPC links appear in sponsored search engine listings and are only used by 40% of search engines online. Although they do generate targeted traffic, the effect wears off as soon as your PPC account expires.

To make sure you’re hiring ethical search engine optimization specialists, check their references; Talk to past clients and see how their websites rank on major search engines; ask how their SEO professionals are going to optimize your site (how they will choose keywords, create links, inform you, etc.). Make sure they answer you clearly and in a language you can understand, not professional jargon. If they are trying to avoid some answers, consider another SEO company.